ID protection for mobiles with VeriSign app

Peter Dinham
Monday, 12 October 2009 13:47

Business IT - Security

VeriSign has today made available to Australian mobile users a free mobile application that it claims can transform more than 200 different types of mobile phones and devices into identity protection authentication credentials and a one-time password generator.

According to VeriSign, its Identity Protection strong authentication application offers an enhanced download and activation process – with no text messaging required – “making it easier than ever to benefit from the protection of its VIP authentication on VIP-enabled Web sites globally.

Armando Dacal, director of sales for VeriSign Asia Pacific, said today the company’s VIP Authentication service - also known as strong or two-factor authentication – “offers an additional layer of protection to PayPal and eBay users as well as a number of Australian credit unions and other VIP-enabled Web sites.

“Once downloaded, each time a user accesses a VIP enabled website, they will be given a unique one-time six-digit security code generated by a user's VIP authentication credential, in addition to their username and password to provide a second layer for security at a time when identity theft is at its peak.”
 
According to Dacal, it’s no secret that Australians are becoming more and more dependent on their mobile phones, “using them for a multitude of activities far beyond voice calls and SMS.”

He said the 2009 Australian mobile phone lifestyle index recently had revealed that 70 per cent of Australians access mobile entertainment and information services via their mobile phone and “Marketresearch.com predicts that the transaction value of payments made by mobile phones in Australia will reach almost AU$2 billion by 2013.

“Mobile phones are at the centre of many Australians lives being the source of all information, entertainment and connection with friends and family. With the latest launch of VIP Access For Mobile VeriSign is making it easier and more convenient than ever for consumers to access to their chosen sites securely on the move.”

VeriSign says that the latest release of VIP Access for Mobile is available for Apple iPod touch, additional BlackBerry smartphones, and devices running the Windows Mobile operating system,  in addition to hundreds of mobile devices supporting J2ME,”the most ubiquitous application platform for mobile devices”. VeriSign said the application already supports Apple iPhone, BlackBerry smartphones and mobile devices from Nokia, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sanyo, Pantech and more.